surface plate reconditioning in the Northeast

I might be getting a 12x18 Starrett pink granite surface plate for free, but I'd like to have it reconditioned.

Searched around my area (southwestern Connecticut) and found some places with google, but several are too far away, so shipping will be a bear, one, R.H. Morris says that they are no longer in that business (sounds like they farmed it out) and another, Optimal Calibration, has a minimum charge about what the plate costs.

Anyone know of any other vendors?

Steve

SteveM said:

I might be getting a 12x18 Starrett pink granite surface plate for free, but I'd like to have it reconditioned.

Searched around my area (southwestern Connecticut) and found some places with google, but several are too far away, so shipping will be a bear, one, R.H. Morris says that they are no longer in that business (sounds like they farmed it out) and another, Optimal Calibration, has a minimum charge about what the plate costs.

Anyone know of any other vendors?

Steve

Click to expand...

12 X 18 feet, you seek on-site visiting expertise.

12 X 18 inches, you relegate to less critical use and simply replace.

See again 'minimum'.

The economics of refinishing vs new are all wrong, even if you carried it to and fro on a push-bike to save on shipping.

Cost of acquiring a reference good enough, plus learning-curve on the skills to use it, makes DIY touch-up harder yet to justify.

Use wot yah got until needs even justify space for it, let alone seeking a better one.


Bill

Monarchist said:

12 X 18 feet

Click to expand...

I don't even want to THINK about feet!

This one is just 12"x18".

Steve

SteveM said:

I don't even want to THINK about feet!

This one is just 12"x18".

Steve

Click to expand...

Still working on talking meself out of a grand or two worth of USED 3'+ x 4'+ here. Plenty of 'em out there, used.

Space required is the heavy hit. Wants all-sides access to be useful. Can't spare that.

Bill

Monarchist said:

Still working on talking meself out of a grand or two worth of USED 3'+ x 4'+ here. Plenty of 'em out there, used.

Space required is the heavy hit. Wants all-sides access to be useful. Can't spare that.

Bill

Click to expand...

Working space is one of those things you CAN'T forget. I witnessed a "manufacturing engineer" lay out an inspection area using a architect's scale and graph paper. Took all kinds of measurements of all the stuff in the room; made little cutouts of everything, and used this to figure out EXACTLY where everything should go. Too bad he didn't take into account you gotta have room to open those file cabinets next to the surface plate.... sigh...

Eric M said:

Working space is one of those things you CAN'T forget. I witnessed a "manufacturing engineer" lay out an inspection area using a architect's scale and graph paper. Took all kinds of measurements of all the stuff in the room; made little cutouts of everything, and used this to figure out EXACTLY where everything should go. Too bad he didn't take into account you gotta have room to open those file cabinets next to the surface plate.... sigh...

Click to expand...

Lot of that s**t going around amongst folk who were school-trained to KNOW better, if even they had nought but acess to a copy of "Architectural Graphics Standards" with a hundred or so layouts for the loo.

All of which, of course, allowed folks room enough to park theirazz and wipe it as well as test it for ejection capacity, etc.

Not new, these needs.

I could DO the 3' X 4'. Even put it on wheels. But it would end up protected, but nonetheless covered with Late Holocene deposits ten-eleven months of the year, mid-space OR 'parked'.

The smaller B&S here now is protected, wooden cover and all. Also has a stainless wet-bar-sink perched atop it I haven't gotten around to installing yet.

May the rest of you lot be neatniks rather than egregious packrats.

But I'll not be placing any bets.



Bill

You might knock on a few machine shop doors and ask.

OT space layout .. and scaling all the machines at fill travel.

I got a quote for $125 to bring it back to grade A, but the place isn't local.

$125 would be a good deal, since that's a lot less than replacement cost (MSC is about $400).

I'm waiting for a call back from a local inspection shop that may have someone that can do it.

Steve

Diamond Technical Services did a good job for me.